Skip to main content

Fearing Russia, Sweden holds biggest war games in 20 years

Sweden (Reuters) - Neutral Sweden has launched its biggest war games in two decades with support from NATO countries, drilling 19,000 troops after years of spending cuts that have left the country fearful of Russia’s growing military strength.
On the eve of Russia’s biggest manoeuvres since 2013, which NATO says will be greater than the 13,000 troops Moscow says are involved, Sweden will simulate an attack from the east on the Baltic island of Gotland, near the Swedish mainland.
“The security situation has taken a turn for the worse,” Micael Byden, the commander of the Swedish Armed Forces, said during a presentation of the three-week-long exercise.
Sweden, like the Baltics, Poland and much of the West, has been deeply troubled by Russia’s 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Black Sea peninsula Crimea and its support for rebels in eastern Ukraine.
“Russia is the country that affects security in Europe right now with its actions - the annexation of the Crimea and continued battles in eastern Ukraine - so it is clear that we are watching very closely what Russia is doing,” Byden said.
Around 1,500 troops from the United States, France, Norway and other NATO allies are taking part in the exercise dubbed Aurora.
Non-NATO member Sweden has decided to beef up its military after having let spending drop from over 2 percent of economic output in the early 1990s to around 1 percent, and is re-introducing conscription
The armed forces, which at one point could mobilise more than 600,000, stand at just 20,000, with 22,000 more Home Guard volunteers.   
NATO generals say the Aurora exercise is not a response to Russian exercises that start on Thursday.
Slideshow (9 Imag

es)
But Byden, speaking as U.S. and French forces displayed mobile surface-to-air missile systems to be deployed during the exercise, stressed the importance of NATO for Sweden.

“We are a sovereign country that takes care of and is responsible for our safety. We do this together with others, ready to both support and receive help,” he said.
The United States shipped vehicles by sea from Germany, while France brought others by train. They are to be moved via a classified route to Sweden’s east coast for the exercise where U.S. attack helicopters will play the enemy during Aurora.
The government is determined to stick to the country’s formal neutrality. Sweden has not fought a war since it clashed with Norway in 1814.
    But like its non-NATO neighbour Finland, Sweden has been drawing closer to NATO, allowing closer cooperation with alliance troops, with a view to working together in the event of an armed conflict.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Trump Presses for full Denuclearize

  U.S. President Donald Trump said he would maintain sanctions pressure on Pyongyang ahead of his own unprecedented meeting with Kim Jong Un. (Reuter ) The North’s KCNA news agency separately released the joint statement North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in presented on Friday after the first summit in more than a decade between the two Koreas. Kim and Moon had pledged to work for “complete denuclearization” of the Korean peninsula and agreed on a common goal of a “nuclear-free” peninsula. “At the talks both sides had a candid and open-hearted exchange of views on the matters of mutual concern including the issues of improving the north-south relations, ensuring peace on the Korean Peninsula and the denuclearization of the peninsula,” KCNA said, reporting that the night wrapped up with a dinner with an “amicable atmosphere overflowing with feelings of blood relatives.” A day after the meeting between Kim and Moon produced dramatic imag...

How Twitter Reacts to SP Tahir Khan Dawar murder.

The federal government and police authorities on Tuesday said they had no confirmation regarding reports of the killing of Superintendent Police (SP) Tahir Khan Dawar, who went missing from Islamabad last month. How Twitter reacts to Tahir SP Tahir Khan Dawar murder. Ali Wazir MNA from North Waziristan post on twitter. SP Tahir Dawar we are very sorry, that we did not save you, but we promised that your bloodsheder will soon shown to the world. #PashtunRejectStateTerrorism #TahirDawar pic.twitter.com/nGXWqVMkPx — Ali Wazir (@Aliwazirna50) November 13, 2018 Also read  No Confirmation of Kidnapped SP's murder in Afghanistan: KP Police Chief   ANP Leader Afrasiab Khattak Stated in Tweet    The gruesome murder of Police officer TahirKhan Dawar who was abducted a few days back from Islamabad is extremely serious development. Nothing less than a credible investigation to find the truth & to bring culprits to book can defuse the wave ...

Pakistan Supreme court Offer Jobs for Transgenders

By Salahuddin Islamabad-Chief Justice of Pakistan ( CJP ) Mian Saqib Nisar on Wednesday has said that ensuring basic rights to transgender community is our first priority .A three-member bench conducted a hearing of a case during which, the top judge directed to hire two transgenders in Supreme Court (SC). Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar on Tuesday said two transgenders would be provided jobs in the Supreme Court. The remarks came as he chaired a bench to hear a case regarding transgenders' rights. "In our society transgenders are subjected to ridicule. It is our top most priority to give them their rights,". The chief justice said the court would issue a notice to NGOs and government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while it hears the case related to basic rights of transgender."Court wants to bring them into the mainstream. It wants to resolve their issues," said the CJ while presiding over a three-judge bench. NADRA Chairman who appeare...